Do the suprachiasmatic nuclei oscillate in old rats as they do in young ones?

• DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.1993.265.5.r1216
• Publication Date: 2017-12-24T20:44:48Z
• Authors: E. Satinoff; H. Li; T. K. Tcheng; C. Liu; A. J. McArthur; M. Medanic; M. U. Gillette
• Keywords: Premovement neuronal activity; Entrainment (biomusicology)

The basis of the decline in circadian rhythms with aging was addressed by comparing patterns three behavioral young and old rats vitro rhythm neuronal activity suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), primary pacemaker. In some rats, body temperature, drinking, retained significant 24-h periodicities entraining light-dark cycles; others, one or two became aperiodic. When these were 23-27.5 mo they killed, single-unit firing rates SCN brain slices recorded continuously for 30 h. There damping mean peak compared young. activities analyzed reference to previous entrained individual as well. Neuronal from prior aperiodic erratic, expected. that still maintaining rhythmicity at time killed erratic most cases but normally rhythmic others. Thus there no more congruence between slice than among alone. These results, first demonstrate aberrant a decrease amplitude imply could either disrupt coupling pacemaker cells their output, cause deterioration pacemaking properties cells.